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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2018 19:10:27 GMT
Before all that malarkey, just double check your wiring to the batteries, wouldn't take long to clean all the connections and after cleaning, copperslip the terminals. Doesn't cost anything and that way you are ruling out a possible fault. Nothing worse than spending loads of dosh only to experience that same click on start…. This is very true. Time spent cleaning battery cable connections and terminals/posts with a bit of Emery cloth can pay dividends - more so when you realise it costs SWFA. Also a likely culprit is a shagged out ignition switch - particularly old style Lucas 128SA tractor type switches. - £15 on eBay
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2018 17:37:40 GMT
Top tip stabby, picked it up today, was like a new one, resorts and all bolts replaced, back on the boat and turning over like it should, cheers! starter battery was flat though, guess a month in the cold has finished it, dropped some jump leads over to the domestic and worked fine as they are on solar and we have a bit of sun the last couple of days, question though, is it worth connecting solar to starter for a week to see if it brings it back to life, or just dump and buy a new one?
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Post by Mr Stabby on Feb 10, 2018 17:49:17 GMT
I would just run the engine for a couple of hours to recharge the starter battery and then see if it starts next time without any issues. If it does, then you'll probably be ok until next Winter at least, ambient temperatures should start rising soon which makes batteries perform better and engines easier to spin over. I've got a drop tester you can borrow if you want.
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Post by naughtyfox on Feb 10, 2018 18:01:08 GMT
Now I am puzzled. I have been told that our main switch numbers mean:
1 - starter battery only BOTH - both starter battery and the 2 leisure batteries 2 - leisure batteries only
I thought if it was on 2 and I started the engine, it started from the leisure batteries (you're not supposed to do this, but it seems to work - I sometimes forget to turn the switch to 1)
Also that on charging through the Mastervolt 'intelligent charger' that 1 = only the starter charges, BOTH = all three batteries are getting charged, 2 = only the leisures will be getting charged.
-so why would you need to put jump leads from leisures to a dead starter battery? Aren't the leisures somehow already connected to the starter? I suppose I could take our starter battery out and see if it turns over solely from the leisures. Or if our leisures are not connected to the starter motor directly, are they not somehow connected to the starter battery... some day it would be nice to find someone who knows about this stuff and explain to me how all our wiring works.
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Post by Mr Stabby on Feb 10, 2018 18:09:37 GMT
Leisure batteries and the starter battery discharge independently meaning that the engine will still start if you have flattened the leisure batteries, but all batteries should charge when the engine is running via the split charge relay.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2018 18:16:31 GMT
As stabby says, you should have a split relay, little box somewhere near the battery’s, don’t open it though as it’s full of magic fairy’s!!
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Post by naughtyfox on Feb 10, 2018 18:20:10 GMT
This is what we have (similar anyway): It has been opened and the contacts cleaned, but we were told the cables are so short behind it, that it would be difficult to have a new switch put on. Piece of shit from China.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2018 18:20:40 GMT
Now I am puzzled. I have been told that our main switch numbers mean: 1 - starter battery only BOTH - both starter battery and the 2 leisure batteries 2 - leisure batteries only I thought if it was on 2 and I started the engine, it started from the leisure batteries (you're not supposed to do this, but it seems to work - I sometimes forget to turn the switch to 1) Also that on charging through the Mastervolt 'intelligent charger' that 1 = only the starter charges, BOTH = all three batteries are getting charged, 2 = only the leisures will be getting charged. -so why would you need to put jump leads from leisures to a dead starter battery? Aren't the leisures somehow already connected to the starter? I suppose I could take our starter battery out and see if it turns over solely from the leisures. Or if our leisures are not connected to the starter motor directly, are they not somehow connected to the starter battery... some day it would be nice to find someone who knows about this stuff and explain to me how all our wiring works. Here you go Foxy, the gospel according to Gazza 😎🔨🔨🔨🚢🍻 It's amazing how many people can't use a battery selector switch correctly. Here's how to do it properly. 1 - start battery. Use this for the initial start of the engine. Leave it selected for 30 minutes to replace the miniscule amount of energy that was used to start the engine 2 - domestic battery. Switch to this position after the start battery has been topped back up. LEAVE IT IN THIS POSITION. With a decent battery bank there should be enough juice to start the engine using the domestic batteries the following day. If there isn't simply select position 1 and repeat the above. THE ONLY TIME 'BOTH' SHOULD BE SELECTED IS IF THE START BATTERY IS A BIT DOWN AND WON'T WANG THE STARTER OVER QUIET QUICK ENOUGH. IT SHOULD BE REGARDED AS AN EASY METHOD OF JUMP STARTING ONLY. TURN TO POSITION 1 ONCE STARTED AND FULLY CHARGE START BATTERY BEFORE SWITCHING TO POSITION 2 AS NORMAL. Off - pretty self explanatory, but don't turn it to off with the engine running. How anyone can find the above difficult is beyond me. Number of flat batteries in 9 years = 0 Read more: thunderboat.boards.net/thread/2941/switch-recommendations#ixzz56jMdf9BIYou may well not have a spilt charge diode, we don't and get on just fine with the above regime. Follow the above and you won't need to replace your starter battery in a hurry 👍
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Post by JohnV on Feb 10, 2018 18:23:26 GMT
beaten to it ^^^^^
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Post by naughtyfox on Feb 10, 2018 18:24:14 GMT
I thought all three batteries (2 leisures + 1 starter) only charged all at the same time if the isolator switch was turned to 'BOTH'.
A quick guide to these numbers for me, anyone? I get more and more confused. For sure, when it is set to 'OFF' the inside electrics stop (lights go off, etc.)
What does 1 mean then?
What does 2 mean then?
What does 'BOTH' mean then?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2018 18:28:38 GMT
I thought all three batteries (2 leisures + 1 starter) only charged all at the same time if the isolator switch was turned to 'BOTH'. A quick guide to these numbers for me, anyone? I get more and more confused. For sure, when it is set to 'OFF' the inside electrics stop (lights go off, etc.) What does 1 mean then? What does 2 mean then? What does 'BOTH' mean then? See above! If you have it on one with engine running only start battery charges Both all charge. 2 only domestics. Same goes for the mains charger if it only has one output. Use my method with engine running. Both if charging from mains electricity - but remember to turn to 2 when charged so you only discharge one set of batteries leaving the start battery fresh.
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Post by naughtyfox on Feb 10, 2018 18:28:47 GMT
"THE ONLY TIME 'BOTH' SHOULD BE SELECTED IS IF THE START BATTERY IS A BIT DOWN AND WON'T WANG THE STARTER OVER QUIET QUICK ENOUGH. IT SHOULD BE REGARDED AS AN EASY METHOD OF JUMP STARTING ONLY. TURN TO POSITION 1 ONCE STARTED AND FULLY CHARGE START BATTERY BEFORE SWITCHING TO POSITION 2 AS NORMAL."
So why would I not just turn the switch to 2 and let the leisures (only) kick the engine over? You just said I could:
"With a decent battery bank there should be enough juice to start the engine using the domestic batteries the following day."
Why would I turn it to 'BOTH'?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2018 18:32:09 GMT
"THE ONLY TIME 'BOTH' SHOULD BE SELECTED IS IF THE START BATTERY IS A BIT DOWN AND WON'T WANG THE STARTER OVER QUIET QUICK ENOUGH. IT SHOULD BE REGARDED AS AN EASY METHOD OF JUMP STARTING ONLY. TURN TO POSITION 1 ONCE STARTED AND FULLY CHARGE START BATTERY BEFORE SWITCHING TO POSITION 2 AS NORMAL." So why would I not just turn the switch to 2 and let the leisures (only) kick the engine over? You just said I could: "With a decent battery bank there should be enough juice to start the engine using the domestic batteries the following day." Why would I turn it to 'BOTH'? Why would you indeed? You only need to do that of the starter or domestics battery won't sling her over quick enough when you first first arrive from Finland
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Post by naughtyfox on Feb 10, 2018 18:43:26 GMT
Despite advice, I will still have a lookey for a new starter battery. Just because I want one. I will carry on in the belief that the above (1-BOTH-2) is correct. We have had no problems so far, everything has worked as it should. However, it would be really nice if someone could one day drop down into the engine 'ole with me and explain what all them wires do, and I can take photos and make notes. Our leisures are 3.5 years old. I have checked the fluid in the batteries, just to make sure there's wet over the lead plates (well, at least the starter - I think the leisures are sealed).
(ps - surprisingly, even after 3 months of standing, the engine fires up straight away on first turn of key)
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Post by JohnV on Feb 10, 2018 18:53:20 GMT
the other time you don't use the domestics to start (except in an emergency) is when you have traction batteries as domestics ....... they are designed and constructed to give a moderate amount of current for a long time whereas a starter battery is designed to give a lot of current for a short time.
they are constructed differently to withstand different demands a starter battery will be specced to supply so many hundred "cranking" amps you never see that rate quoted for tractions ...... they should not be exposed to that demand
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